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Monday, July 29, 2013

Random Access Memory

Clever use of Daft Punk's album title for my blog post isn't it. No, I'm not a fan of their music. But my blog today has something to do with memory. I'm always a huge fan of word play, it makes my day more interesting. And so that you don't fall asleep reading this, assuming you do read this blog.
I have been absent from writing, only due to me gathering my thoughts as I have embarked on the journey of self discovery and introspection. Yoga would call it turning your focus inwards also known in Sanskirt as Pratyahara. But today's post is a more personal side of me.

As a student of psychology, I have learnt that people have creative thoughts or inspirations in 3 places. In the context of the 3 Bs, Bath, Bed and Bus. I had mine in the bath. I was using my Perlier Lily of the Valley shower gel which I adore and already had John Frieda conditioner sitting in my hair as a treatment. And I think the combination of the two smells triggered a long forgotten memory. A random memory at that too. But we never forget smells. The amygdala in the seat of the brain is responsible for memories, smells and emotions. It was awakened. The lemony fizzy smell had evoked a memory from my childhood. The memory I had was when I was about 2 or 3 maybe, in Tokyo in our apartment bathroom. I could see my chubby legs and toes, and I know I was butt naked watching the fizz in my bathtub fizzle and emit the lemony carbonated scent as it made the water cloudy and I was fascinated by this sight, always have been. There was even a tinge of orange scent too. Japanese are so great making such simple things a novelty. Bear in mind it's around the year 1987. I would dip my fingers in the tub to swirl the cloudy water before getting into the hot tub. What fascinates me as I relive the memory is that I can remember the very comforting heat coming from the hot water in the tub and the temperature of the bathroom obviously, combined with this fizzy lemony scent.

I feel like my subconscious opened up another gateway to me, to reveal itself. To teach me something from my past experience. But I wondered as I stepped out of the bath all cleaned, what did it mean? Why did my inner self choose to reveal it now? I always feel like when the body or mind shows us something, its a sign for us to work on a part of us which has been hidden for whatever reasons. The trick is to not be afraid to uncover the truth or the deeper message of the memory. If we are prepared to do that, then I think half the work is done. I find a deep calm and contentment from just letting the memory float across my minds eye and then allowing myself to unravel the gift embedded within this memory. Yoga has given me the tools to access(not a typo here) myself courageously and to be fully aware of the moments in my life.

My question to you is, are you pushing away precious memories(pleasant and unpleasant) which are poised to help you transform and transcend?